NAHL Team Staff

TOM KOWAL, NAHL HEAD COACH AND GENERAL MANAGER

Coach Kowal is a native of Anchorage, Alaska. Kowal is entering his third season with the Knights and is bringing extensive knowledge to the ice. Tom grew up playing AAA hockey in Anchorage, Alaska. He went on to play junior hockey for the Omaha Lancers (USHL) and Division I college hockey at both the University of Alaska-Anchorage (WCHA) and the University of Nebraska-Omaha (CCHA).

After college Tom broke into coaching as an assistant coach in the USHL with Omaha Lancers and the Tri-City Storm. He then moved over to the NAHL where he spent time coaching as an assistant coach for the Youngstown Phantoms.

Coach Kowal helped lead the Knights U16 American team to a AYHL Championship and the Junioir A team to a AJHL President Cup Championship. .

Tom now resides full time in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

ANDREW WHITESIDE, NAHL ASSISTANT COACH, DIRECTOR OF SCOUTING

Andrew Whiteside enters his third full season as the NAHL team’s assistant coach. Whiteside's responsibilities include recruiting coordinator, coaching the Knights defenseman, assisting in the planning & running of practices, penalty kill, and video analysis.

Before Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Whiteside spent time as an assistant coach with the Kenai River Brown Bears in the NAHL. He was also selected to serve as video coach for USA Hockey in the 2013 Boys Select U17 Five Nations Tournament that won gold in Trnava, Slovakia. In the summers, Whiteside serves on the coaching staff for USA Hockey’s Atlantic District Player Development Program – comprised of the best youth & junior hockey players in the New Jersey, Delaware and Greater-Philadelphia area.

A Native of Philadelphia, PA, Whiteside earned his bachelor’s degree in 2015 from Niagara University in Sports Management, where he was a 4-year letter winner serving on the NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey coaching staff; breaking down game film, compiling game analysis & teaching tapes for player/coach review and assisting with practice.

Whiteside resides full time in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

JOSH FUSCO, EHL HEAD COACH, NAHL ASSISTANT COACH

Josh is a certified level 4 coach with USA hockey and has spent the past two and a half years coaching and assisting at several different levels of hockey. Last season he was at the helm for the Knights NA3AHL affiliate, leading them to a 32-4 record with a Championship appearance.

Pior to last season Josh was the head coach for Southlake high school JV and assistant coach for the varsity team as well as an assistant coach for the Texas Brahmas 18U team. He has served as a head coach for Pro Ambitions Hockey schools on the west coast.

Josh had a playing career that consisted of five years of Junior Hockey, NCAA Division 3 and played professionally in Europe and in the semi-pro leagues in the U. S. .

During the summers, Josh works with elite NCAA D1 and D3 players as well as younger players individually with skill development and off ice strength and conditioning programs.

PAUL CELONA, HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER

Paul grew up in Berwick, Pennsylvania before attending Bloomsburg University. There he earned his bachelor's degree in biology and his master's degree in athletic training. Paul served as an intern athletic trainer for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL during the 2012-13 season. He then worked at Bucknell University serving as the athletic trainer for their football, cross-country, and track and field teams. Paul joined the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights staff in the 2015-16 season, where he serves as the head athletic trainer and the equipment manager.

Paul currently resides in Bloomsburg, PA with his wife, Dedra, and two children.

Paul Celona, MS, LAT, ATC

JUSTIN SCHREIBER, KNIGHTS ASSISTANT GM, DIRECTOR OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT

From Nebraska, Justin maintains a busy schedule traveling across the country, building scouting profiles on future Knights. He comes from an athletic background in the Midwest and has brings with him an impressive resume. His scouting credentials include three years worth of experience working as both an NHL Draft and OHL Draft scout for HockeyProspect.com. Last season, prior to his hiring with the Knights, Justin worked as a scout for the NAHL's Kenai River Brown Bears.